Automatic journal-lubricator.



1.1. HENNESSY. AUTOMATIC JOURNAL LUBRICATOR. APPLICATION FILED DEC.5.1916.

1,245,586. Patented Nov. 6, 1917.

I. I. HENNESSY. .AUTOMATIC JOURNAL LUBRICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.5 IBIS.

Patented Nov, 6, 1917.

2 `sHEETssHET 2. I; I Ia Enron.

JAMES J. EENNESSY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

AUTOMATIC JOURNAL-LUBRICATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

V`Patented Nov. 6, 1917.

Application filed December 5, 1916. Serial No. 135,161.

To zZZ whom z't may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES-J. HENNnssY, a citizen of the United States,residing at St. Louis, Missouri, have invented a certainnew and usefulImprovement in Automatic Journal-Lubricators, of which the following isa full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the saine, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisspecification.

My invention relates generally to lubricating devices, and moreparticularly to a device adapted to be positioned in a journal box forlubricatin o' the journal on the end of a car axle, the principal objectof my invention being to provide a comparatively simplc, inexpensivestructure which, when properly applied for use, will provide the journalwith an oil bath by reason of the fact that liquid lubricant isautomatically fed or delivered directly onto that portion of the journalwhich contacts with the usual brass bearing associated with car journalboxes.

Further objects of my invention are to provide a lubricant container,preferably in the form of a metal pan; to provide bearing ribs at theends of the lubricant compartment; to provide a yielding support for thelubricant container, said support being arranged and constructed so asto permit the container to readily yield to the movement of the journaland at the same time exerting upward pressure on said container so as tomaintain practically oil-tight joints between the bearing ribs of thecontainer and the journal; and further to provide the container with aliquid lubricant reservoir from which the lubricant distributingmaterial l0- cated in the lubricant container receives a constant andunvarying supply of lubricant.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists incertain novel features of construction and arrangement of partshereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a vertical section takenvthrough the center of a journal box and showing an automatic device ofmy improved construction'positioned therein;4

F 1g. 2 is a vertical section taken approximately on the line 2 2 ofFig. l;

Fig. 3 is a plan view ofthe container forming part of my invention;

Fig. 3a is a plan view of a yoke which combines with a compressionspring in supporting the lubricant container within the journal box.

Fig. el is vertical section taken lengthwise through the center of ajournal box and showing a modified form of the lubricating device;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken approximately on the line 5 5 of Fig.Li;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section of a journal box and showing a furthermodified form of the lubricating device;

Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken on'the line 7 7. of Fig. 6.

Referring by numerals to the accompany- `ing Vdrawings and particularlyFigs. 1 to 3a,

inclusive which illustrate a practical embodiment of my invention, 10designates a journal box, 11 a car axle, 12 the journal on the endthereof, 121 the iiange on the end of said journal7 13 the usual journalbearing of brass or bronze, and 14 the wedge for holding said journalbearing in place, all of said parts being of ordinary and well-knownconstruction The lubricant container'contemplated by my'invention ispreferably constructed of metal, either cast or pressed, and of suchsize and shape as to readily fit in the lower portion of the chamberwithin the journal box and arranged to inclose the lower half of thejournal 12. The body 15 of the container is substantially U-shape incross section and formed integral therewith and on the interior thereofnear its ends are bearing ribs 16 which are adapted to engage directlyagainst the surface of the journal 12 and at points near the endsthereof; z'. e., the rib at the inner end ,of the container bearsagainst the journal adjacent to the shoulder between said journal andthe axle 11 while the rib near the outer end of the container bearsagainst the journal immediately adjacent to the flange 12a. Thesebearing ribs extend upwardly on the inside of the body 15 of thecontainer and when the latter is properly applied for use, said bearingribs engage the journal 12 from the underside thereof to points aboveits center line. (See Fig. 2.)

The inner end of the container is provided with a comparatively narrowflange or inner end wall 17 which lits snugly against the aXle 11 at apoint near the inner end of the journal box 10 and the space betweensaid flange or inner end wall and the adjacent bearing rib 16 serves asa pocket 18 which is adapted to receive any liquid lubricant which mayescape past the inner one .of the bearing ribs 16. Leading from thebottoni of this pocket lengthwise through the bottom of the container isa passageway 19, the same terminating at a point near the outer one ofthe bearing ribs 16 and seated in the container at the outer end of saidpasn sageway is a valve 20. Normally this valve 2O is closed and whenopened any liquid lubricant which may have accumulated in the pocket 18and passageway 19 may be drawnV oli.

The outer end of the container is provided with an upwardly projectingcurved end wall 21 and arranged immediately inside this end wall is atransversely disposed partition 22, such construction forming a chamberin the outer lower portion of the container, said chamber serving as areservoir for a supply of liquid luloricant.

apertures are formed through the top of partition 22 and the upperportion of end wall 21 in order to permit a supply of liquid lubricantto be readily delivered to the chamber 23.

Formed through the lower portion of the outer one of the bearing ribs 16and establishing communication between the bottom of the space betweenthe bearing ribs and the chamber 23 are apertures 25 which permit theliquid lubricant to pass from the reservoir into the space between saidbearing ribs, which. last mentioned space is filled with suitablefibrous material 26, preferably waste.

Positioned beneath the body of the container and at a point near thecenter thereof is a transversely disposed curved plate 27, the sameserving as a supporting yoke for said container and the end portions ofthis yoke are notched as designated by 28 so ,as to engage studs 29which latter are seated in and project downwardly from the underside ofthe container. This supporting yoke is curved to conform to thecurvature of the bottom of the container' and the ends of said yoketerminate at points immediately adjacent to the inner faces of the sidewalls of the journal boX 10, and in such positions, said ends serve asstops to engage against either side wall of the journal box and maintainthe container in proper operative position beneath the journal.

The central portion of the yoke 27 is enlarged to form a bearing disk271l and interposed between said disk and the bottoni of the journal boxis a compression spring 30. This compression spring normally eX- ertsupward pressure against the container through the yoke 27 and thus theripper surfaces of the bearing ribs 16 are maintained in constantcontact with the end portions of the journal 12, it being the intentionthatthis contact be such kas to provide practically oil tight jointsbetween said bearing ribs and the surface of the j ournal.`r

By virtue of the fact that the yoke is supported upon a single springand the ends of said yoke have pivotal connections with t-he container15, the latter will readily yield to any slight movement which thejournal may have longitudinally, transversely or vertically with respectto the journal box, and at the same time, the bearing ribs will bemaintained aga-inst the surface of the journal.

The continuous rotary movement of the journal in one direction will, ofcourse, tend to rotate the container in the same direction, but suchmovement is prevented by the engagement of the ends of the supportingyoke against theV sid-e walls of the journal box.

Liquid lubricant from the reservoir 23 passes through apertures 25 andby capillary attraction, said liquid lubricant passes through the entirebody of fibrous material 26 located between the bearing ribs 16 and assaid fibrous material contacts with practically the entire lower half ofthe surface of the journal, the latter will be maintained in an oil bathwith the result that the entire journal is continuously and uniformlylubricated. i 'i In the modilied construction illustrated in Figs. fland 5, the container 31 is simiar to the construction of the container15 just described, i-n that it is provided near its ends with bearingribs S2, which are adapted. to engage the end portions of the journaland formed in the outer end of the container 31 is an oil reservoir 33.

A transversely curved partition 3l is formed between the bearing ribs 32a short distance above the bottom of the container, thus forming aliquid lubricant chamber 35 in which is loosely mounted alon-gitudinally disposed roller 3.6. The sides of this partition 341 donot connect with the sides of the container 31. Therefore, the liquidlubricant within the chamber 35 is free to discharge 'over the sideedges of said parti- Apartition and between the bearing ribs 32 is abody 37 of iibrous material, preferably waste, the same contactingkdirectly with and thereby delivering liquid lubricant to the surface ofthe journal. Apertures 38 connect the lower portion of the reservoir 33with the chamber 35 and at the opposite end of the container apertures39 connect said chamber with the pocketv 40 which is formed between theinner one of the bearing ribs 32 and the inner end wall of thecontainer. r1`his container is mounted on a transversely disposed yoke41 and the latter is yieldingly supported upon a compression spring 42.

In this form of device, the operation depends upon the momentum of theroller 36,

which momentum is the result of jerking movements imparted to thejournal box while the car upon which it is located is being started orstopped, and as the roller travels transversely in either directionthrough th-e chamber 35, a small quantity of liquid lubricant will beforced from in front of the roller upwardly over the corresponding edgeof the partition 34 with the result that the brous material located onsaid partition will be maintained in a saturated condition and thelubricant will in turn be delivered directly onto the surface of thejournal.

In the modified construction illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, the container43 is provided near its ends with bearing ribs 44,

the same performing the same functions as the bearing ribs 16 previouslydescribed, and formed in the outer end of the container is a liquidlubricant reservoir 45.

Extending from an oil receiving pocket 46 at the inner end of thecontainer through the bottom of the latter is a passageway 47, thebottoni of which is inclined and the outer end of said passagewaycommunicates with the lower portion of chamber 45. Located in thispassageway is a suitable check valve 48 arranged so as to prevent theflow of liquid lubricant inwardly through said passageway and into thepocket 46. The space between the bearing ribs 44 is filled with fibrousmaterial 49, such as waste, the same engaging directly against thesurface of the journal. i

v\"Vhere this form of device is used, the outer' end of the journal isprovided with a grooved cap or disk 50 and loosely mount` ed in thegroove thereof is a chain 5l, the same extending downward into thebottom of reservoir 45. Positioned on the outer end of the container inthis form of device and directly over the grooved disk 50 is a cap 52.Hinged to the sides of the container and near the outer end thereof areinclined plates 53, the inner ends of which bear directly against thatportion of the disk 50 to the inside of the groove therein, said platesperforming the functions of scrapers lto vremove the oil which may becarried upinner ends. This form of container is positioned ona yoke andsaid yoke. is yieldingly vsupported by a compression spring V56. In thisform of device, the oil saturated body of, fibrous material 49 contactswith the surface of the journal and said fibrous material is suppliedwith oil from the reservoir '45, said oil being carried upward by chain51 during the rotation of the axle `and journal, a portion of which oilpasses onto the inner portion ofdisk 50 and is scraped therefrom by theplates 53 and said oil ypassing from said plates onto the inclined drainplates 44 and discharging from the lower ends thereof directly into thepocket or space between the bearing ribs 44. The check valve 48 preventsthe oil from passing inwardly through passageway 47 and into the pocket46 when the ouriial box is elevatedk and tilted as is the case where thewheels are passing around a curve, the outer rail of which is higherthan the inner rail.

' YVhile I have shown and described the lubricating device. as beingparticularly intended for use in'connection with the journals of caraxles, it will be understood that with slight modifications, the sameconstruction can be advantageously employed in all bearings for shafts,journals, trunnions and the like.

. A` lubricating device.l of my improved construction is comparativelysimple, can be readily combined with the prevailing and standard 'typesof vjournal boxes, and pro-l changes in the size, form and constructiontioned in a journal boX beneath the journal of the axle, bearing ribs onsaid container near the ends thereof, the space between which bearingribs is adapted to contain liquid lubricant and fibrous material, therebeing a pocket formed at the inner end of said container, which pocketis adapted to receive lubricant which may overiiow the bearing rib nearthe inner end of the container, and yielding pressure means for eX-erting upward pressure on said container to hold the bearing ribsthereon in Contact with the journal.

'2. In a lubricating device for the journals of car axles, a containeradapted to be positioned in a journal box beneath the journal, bearingribs on said container near the ends thereof, which ribs are adapted toengage the journal, the space between which ribs is adapted to containliquid lubricant and fibrous material, a lubricant reservoir at theouter end of the container, there being communication between the lowerportion of the reservoir and the space between the ribs and there beinga pocket formed in the container at the inner end thereof and adapted toreceive lubricant which may overflow the inner one of the bearing ribs.

3. In a lubricating device for the journals of car axles, a containeradapted to be positioned in a journal boX beneath the journal, bearingribs on said container near the ends thereof, which ribs are adapted toengage the journal, the space between which ribs is adapted to containliquid lubricant and fibrous material, a lubricant reservoir near oneend of the container', there being communication between the lowerportion of the reservoir and the space between the ribs, there being apocket formed at the inner end of the container for receiving lubricantwhich may overflow the inner one of the bearing ribs, and yieldingpressure means for exerting upward pressure on the container and formaintaining the ribs in contact with the journal.

et. In a lubricating device for the ournals of car axles, a containeradapted to be positioned in the journal box beneath the journal, bearingribs on said container, which ribs are adapted to engage the surface ofthe journal, a lubricant reservoir at the outer end of the container, anoverflow lubricant pocket at the inner end of said reservoir, a yokepositioned beneath the container and having pivotal connectiontherewith, and yielding pressure means arranged beneath and bearing uponsaid yoke.

5. In a lubricating device for the journals of car axles, a containeradapted to be positioned beneath a journal in a journal boX, there beinga liquid lubricant and waste compartment 'in the bottom of saidcontainer, there being a liquid lubricant reservoir near one end of saidcontainer and there being an overiow lubricant pocket formed at theopposite end of said container.

6. In a journal lubricating device, a container adapted to be positionedbeneath a journal, there being a liquid lubricant and waste compartmentin the bottom of :aid container, a lubricant overflow pocket at theinner end of said container, and there being an outlet leading from saidoverliow pocket through the bottom of the container.

7 Ina journal lubricating device, a container adaptedto be positionedbeneath a journal, there beinga liquid lubricant and waste compartmentin the bottom of Said container, a lubricant overiow pocket at the innerend of said container, there being an outlet leading from s aidoverflowpocket through the bottom of the container, and a valve for controllingthe discharge of liquid lubricant from said, passageway.

8. In a lubricating device of the class described, a container adaptedto be positioned beneath a journal, there being a liquid lubricant andwaste compartment in the bottom of said container, bearing ribs at theends of said compartment, there being a liquid lubricant reservoirformed near one end of the container, which reservoir has communicationwith the compartment between the bearing ribs and there being a liquidoverflow pocket formed at the inner end of said container.

9. In a lubricating device of the class described, a container adaptedto be positioned beneath a journal, there being a liquid lubricant andwaste compartment in the bottom of said container, bearing ribs at theends of said compartment, there being a liquid lubricant reservoirformeel near one end of the container, which reservoir has communicationwith the compartment between the bearing ribs, there being a lubricantoverflow pocket formed at the inner end of said container, said pocketbeing provided with an outlet, and yielding` pressure means bearing`against said container for holding the bearing ribs thereof in contactwith the journal.

10. In a lubricating device of the class described, a container adaptedto be positioned beneath a journal, bearing ribs on said container nearthe ends thereof, which ribs extend upwardlv on the sides of thecontainer so as to tit snugly against the underside of the journal,there being a liquid lubricant reservoir near one end of said container,which reservoir has communication with the space between the bearingribs and the opposite end of said container being provided with a pocketadapted to receive lubricant which may overflow the inner one of thebearing ribs.

1l. In a lubricating device of the class described, a container adaptedto be positioned beneath a journal, bearing ribs 0n said container nearthe ends thereof, which ribs eX- tend upwardly on the sides of thecontainer so as to fit snugly against the underside of the journal,there beinga liquid lubricant reservoir near one end of said container,which reservoir has communication with the space between the bearing;ribs, the opposite end of said Container being provided with e pocketadapted to receive lubricant which may overflow the inner one of thebearing ribs, and yielding` pressure means engaging said container formaintaining the bearing ribs in engagement with the journal.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aliiX my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses, this 27th day of November, 1916.

JAMES J. HENNESSY. l/Vtnesses:

M. P. SMITH, M. A. HANDEL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. C.

